It’s always fascinating to me how so many cultures develop their own versions of similar recipes. If you love these Japanese pancakes, then you might also enjoy trying Aebleskiver (Danish Pancakes), German Pancakes, or Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes)! Japanese pancakes aren’t anything new and were actually super popular a few years ago when they were all the rage on social media. I have always wanted to make them at home and ended up doing these as a dessert, even though they are most often eaten for breakfast in Japan, from what I understand. Although Japanese pancake ingredients are very similar to any other pancake recipe, the technique is unusual, which results in the tall, fluffy pancakes with a little jiggle to them. They eventually deflate a bit if you don’t serve them immediately, so keep that in mind, but when you nail the cooking technique they are wonderfully tall and beautiful, with an incredible texture that we all loved. I failed miserably the first time I attempted making these. I made all the mistakes!
I got impatient and cooked them at too high of a temperature.I tried flipping them too early before the bottoms were done and my batter spilled all over.I made the pancakes too wide so they couldn’t support the height.
But on my second attempt I achieved lovely, tall pancakes with incredible texture and flavor that is perfectly sweet and vanilla-y. They aren’t going to be everyday kind of pancakes for us, but I would definitely make these for special occasions or weekend breakfasts, much like when I make French crepes.
Recipe Ingredients
Eggs: You will need to separate the egg yolks from the egg whites for this recipe, which is what helps give the pancakes their lofty height.Flour: Cake flour will give the lightest, most delicate and airy texture to these pancakes, but regular all-purpose flour can be used in a pinch.Sugar: A little granulated sugar helps keep the pancakes perfectly sweet and is divided between the pancake batter and the egg whites as they are beaten before they get folded in.Salt: This ingredient helps bring out all of the other flavors.Baking powder: Although the egg whites get most of the credit for these jiggly, light pancakes, baking powder definitely contributes to the rise.Vanilla extract: This gives a wonderful vanilla-y, custard-y flavor and sweetness to the pancakes.Cream of tartar: This ingredient helps give the egg whites some additional structure as you whip them into stiff peaks.Oil: You could use melted butter, instead, but oil keeps the pancakes nice and moist with a neutral taste.Milk: Regular or whole milk works just fine here. No need for buttermilk, which would add a tang to your pancakes that I don’t think it authentic to real Japanese pancakes, as far as I can tell.Toppings: We prefer these pancakes served with a light dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, and fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. But fresh, sliced peaches would also be delicious!
You will also need a large 12-inch non-stick skillet with a tight-fitting lid to cook the pancakes in.
How to Make Japanese Pancakes
Recipe Tips
Don’t forget to add the water around the pancakes. The water will create a moist environment to help the pancakes cook with an almost custardy texture. It also helps them cook more evenly, similar to the way a water bath helps cheesecake to cook evenly.If the pancakes feel like they are stuck when you go to flip them, don’t force it. Let them cook another minute or two longer until they release when you slide a spatula under them.Stack the pancake batter high, not wide. These pancakes will look pretty small at first, but as you keep piling up the batter, the pancakes will continue to fluff up rather than spread out.Don’t rush the cooking process. These cook at a low heat (maybe medium-low if it feels like your pan or stovetop is taking a really long time). This allows the thick pancakes to cook all the way through instead of being doughy inside and dark on the outside.You can try using 3-inch by 2 1/2-inch ring molds sprayed with cooking spray to get even taller Japanese pancakes, but after trying both methods I just preferred this simpler approach of building up the pancakes with a little more batter at a time. Plus, it’s one less random kitchen tool to store in my already overflowing drawers. If using the ring molds, fill with ½ cup of batter from the start and cover with the lid. The pancakes will rise almost to the tops of the molds, then you need to carefully slide a spatula under the ring mold and use tongs to flip the mold over before letting the pancakes cook another 5-6 minutes on the second side. Unmold from the ring molds before serving.
I always do my best to research recipes from other cultures thoroughly to represent them as best I can. If this recipe is from your country or culture and you have suggestions for how I can improve its authenticity, please let me know in the comments below! It’s important to us to share beloved foods of other cultures with as much accuracy as possible, while also considering things like accessibility of ingredients and ease of preparation for most home cooks.
More Breakfast Recipes
Easy Belgian WafflesHow to Make the BEST French ToastLemon Ricotta PancakesEasy Rhubarb Breakfast CakeGerman PancakesOvernight Sourdough Waffles
Recipe and technique adapted from I am a Food Blog and Just One Cookbook. Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
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